FS in NH '91 Comanche LWB 4x4 5-spd $2500

[jeepcoma]

Regretfully putting my Jeep up for sale, but with a growing family I need something bigger, and there are a couple issues I don't want to put money into knowing that I need a bigger truck anyway to haul kids and horse trailers and the like.  I haven't been active much on the club because, well, since I fixed a whole bunch of stuff over the years with help from all you people it's just been working fine and dandy, and earning its keep as a heavy duty small work truck.  Price is a wild guess.  I have a ton more into it than that but I never went into this with the idea that I'd make money in the end, but I need something to put towards a short-term beater.  I'd hope to see the truck go to someone that will keep using it and enjoy it as much as I have.  Wherever you go in life, you'll be known as "the guy (or gal) with the Jeep pick-up".

 

The bad:

 

1. Engine is leaking coolant.  It used up coolant when I bought the truck about 10 years ago, would need a top up maybe once or twice a year.  I never really cared to fix it, as I planed on a stroker upgrade anyway.  It's recently gotten much worse, it would always leave a small puddle under the truck after shutting it off.  I only use it as a work truck around the house at this point so it wasn't a big deal to keep the overflow tank topped it.  Just yesterday we hauled two loads of hay over to the horse shelter.  This morning though I wanted to take it down the road to fill up all my gas cans before a blizzard and it just kept taking more and more, so I looked underneath and sure enough everything I was putting in was coming right back out.  Last time I had it in for inspection I paid for them to look for the leak, and they couldn't figure out where it was coming from at the time.  Should be easy to find the leak now and assess what the issue is, which I'll do when I feel like lying in the snow and getting dirt, grease, and coolant on my face.  Previously I would have said "sweet, engine is broken, time to order up that stroker!" but it's not in the cards anymore.

 

2. Minor rust.  Really.  I spent a crap load to get new floor boards, inner AND outer rocker panels, and the bed side panels replaced a few years ago.  The body shop did an OK job.  It's starting to show some cancer where the welds were done, especially around the gas tank filler.  Best to get ahead of it now before it turns into major rust.

 

3. Random things I've just lived with that I don't remember that any antique work truck will have.  Here's a few I remember:

 

I did an instrument cluster swap many years ago.  The fuel gauge never worked, but the warning light would come on at about half a tank.  Combining the warning light with the odometer meant I never had any issue running out of gas.  But recently the speedometer stopped working.  This means the odometer doesn't work.  The light still comes on, but yeah, it feels like a bit of a crap shoot.  So I fill up early and often, and carry a gas can which comes in handy when helping stranded motorists.

 

I swapped doors from a later XJ, but never put speakers in.  And also, the driver's mirror someone leaned on it and broke it, so it's held on with a bungee cord.  I haven't bothered to actually fix it, because, work truck.  And the cord barely obstructs the view, so it's fine.

 

No headliner.  The shell itself looks like it would take a new liner no problem, but after realizing I don't spend much time looking up while I'm in the truck, it really dropped to the bottom of my priority list.  No center console either, I took it out while fixing something and never got around to putting it back, because I planned to tear up the carpets, put some sound-damping material down, and install new carpets.  But I didn't.

 

Tailgate handle is broken, so you have to reach in and fish around for the two little hooks and pull them out then tug them towards the center to open it.  More embarrassing than anything really.  And the bottom is all rusted out, so I'd been keep an eye out for a replacement tailgate which seemed like a better option than trying to fix mine.

 

The good:

 

1.  It's the best darn heavy duty small pickup truck ever, and I've put considerable time, effort, and money into shaping it to be my own personal ultimate work truck.  I keep saying "work truck" a lot and that's because I'm not really into off-roading.  My Comanche from day one has been a "get $#!& done" truck rather than a toy, and so over the years I've built it up as such.  Most of it I've chronicled here on this site over the years.  Here's a small list of things that come to mind:

 

• Dana 44 rear end with Aussie locker, 3.54 gears.  Upgraded with TenFactory chromoly axle shafts.  And a heavy-duty diff cover the name of which escapes me at the moment.

• It's turned via a forged yoke and beefier u-joint. (I can't remember the series off the top of my head, and yup, I had to do the seal twice)

• The D44 is secured to the chassis with heavy duty shackles from JKS. 

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• It sits on Hell's Creek "Metric Tonne" springs

• As you can partially see in the above picture, I've completely re-done braking system, with an upgrade to the 96+ style booster.  Cunifer alloy brake lines.  Manual proportioning valves.  Calipers, rotors, pads, the works.  The only original part left is the brake pedal.  I also installed a (not pictured) stainless steel clutch line.

• Up front is a D30, also in 3.54 and ALSO with an Aussie Locker.  Newer one-piece axle shafts.  297x u-joints.  New front driveshaft.  Chromoly sway bar.  Steering box brace.  Springs from a later V8 ZJ.  Not pictured is the Borgeson steering shaft.  It's so heavy duty it could double as a driveshaft in a pinch.  (well, not really.  but it's an amazing piece of hardware).  All of the regular maintenance items have been replaced and there is no death wobble.

• The transmission and transfer case sit on a nice new Omix-Ada crossmember and mount.  4x4 is engaged with a not-pictured Novak conversion linkage (which is awesome).  I do have a picture of the bracket not fitting that I shared with Novak tech support because, as you can see on the new crossmember, the transmission mount sits about an inch higher than the stock member.  The crossmember had been replaced years in the past so I totally forgot about any possible difference between the two.  I had to get some spacers to make that fit.

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• In preparation for an eventual stroker, exhaust is routed via a Clifford Performance 6=8 header, through a custom exhaust piping, Wicked Flow muffler, and new catalyst, O2 sensor, and fancy polished tip that is no longer polished.

• Lots more little things too, some I've probably forgotten about and others might be in my signature

 

So it's been a fun work truck, here are some pictures of it doing what it does best.  Full gallery with larger pictures can be seen here:

http://photo.acuteshoot.com/Cars/Jeep/n-PpDRrr/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Couple videos

http://photo.acuteshoot.com/Cars/Jeep/n-PpDRrr/i-wJvDtMN/A

http://photo.acuteshoot.com/Cars/Jeep/n-PpDRrr/i-MgHMmc2/A

 

[HOrnbrod]

Sorry to see you're selling this one. You have done some stellar work on it over the years. Best of luck on the sale; it's well worth your asking price.   :cheers:

 

Where in NH are you located?

[Crash]

Too bad you're on the wrong coast. GLWS

[jeepcoma]

Yes, it's been a great little truck over the years and it was a bit nostalgic to look through the pics of work I've done over the years.  I'm doing some research into newer, bigger trucks and it's a bit disappointing to read about tiny 5' beds ("everything I want to move almost fits, but that's OK!"), and wimpy <1,000 lb payloads ("I put a few bags of cement in, and it hardly sags at all!").  Aside for moderate towing, they just seem to be glorified oversized cars in most regards... unless you spend some serious money on a 1/2 ton or get a 3/4 ton (which again, $$$).  Sigh.

 

The Comanche is the best small truck ever.  Period.  I'll miss it.

[strictlyxjs]

damn wish i could afford it. hope whoever gets it takes as good of care of it as you did and doesnt chop it up to go four wheeling

[gai092460]

The truck looks a lot better then some of the ones I have seen lately on E bay ,My suggestion for you get top. dollar wait a few weeks 

 

so buyers can. get over the Holidays ,List it on. E bay with as many photos as possible ,you should be able to. clear 3K. 

[64 Cheyenne]

The truck looks a lot better then some of the ones I have seen lately on E bay ,My suggestion for you get top. dollar wait a few weeks 

 

so buyers can. get over the Holidays ,List it on. E bay with as many photos as possible ,you should be able to. clear 3K. 

 

Tax time coming.... :brows:

[ccannan]

How many miles are on the odometer?

[GirsMJ86]

That is one really nice truck, hard to let go something with so much time put into. It may not be the exact setup I'd like, but I would grab this in a heartbeat if I didn't have the WJ taking up garage space. Good luck man.  :cheers:

[Crash]

Wish you weren't on the wrong coast.

[jeepcoma]

All PMs returned.  The truck is located in Wilmot, NH.  I'd be willing to try and work something out with delivery.

 

Thanks for the complements everyone, despite some of the unplanned wrenching, I've really enjoyed this truck!

[jeepcoma]

Bump, few interested parties but it's still for sale.  Spring is right around the corner and I'll be posting to other sources soon.

[Tex06]

I know you're not parting it out but I'd love to have your suspension under my truck!  If I did buy it I'd end up parting it out as my '92 has a great body and solid motor....I'd hate to see this thing end up that way though.

[jeepcoma]

Well the good news is, other than the D44, all the parts that make up my suspension are readily available from the aftermarket.  Some of the items I can remember:

 

Front+Rear

• Aussie Lockers F/R (the ultimate setup would be selectable engagement front and rear... but $$$).  These are a good inexpensive option.  The tires definitely scrub down faster on street use than with an open rear end, but the traction is just incredible.  It's a monster in 4x4.
• Rancho 9000XL shocks F/R.  These are pretty nice, the truck rides real well and can be adjusted when hauling a heavy load.
• Brake upgrade (I documented the parts and process pretty well in another thread on this site).  Most parts came from RockAuto.
• Stainless steel clutch line (wish I'd done this as soon as I bought the truck, it was a tremendous improvement)

 

Rear:

• TenFactory Chromo rear axle shafts (plus seals and bearings, but I don't recall if those came as a kit)
• Forged yoke on rear axle with stronger u-joints on the driveshaft, and u-bolts instead of the straps
• Hell's Creek Metric Ton springs (think they are still a site sponsor?)
• JKS shackles
• D44 cover

 

Front:

• Solid axles and 297x u-joints (actually I think I used a newer part number, same size as the 297x but stronger)
• TenFactory axle tube seals
• Forged yoke upgrade to do away with the u-joint straps (they use u-bolts instead)
• Bunch of heavier duty stuff from a V8 ZJ and some chromo parts
• Steering brace, didn't really notice any improvement from this.  Probably not needed for a street truck.  I was thinking to replace the steering box with a faster ratio at some point but didn't do much research into it.
• Novak linkage for shifting the 4x4.  Pricey, but way stronger than the crazy stock levers system.  I didn't find too many alternatives either for replacing a worn out stock linkage

 

Two eventual goals were to replace the upper and lower control arms with something stouter, and upgrade the transfer case to a SYE.  Never got around to sourcing the parts or spending the money though.

[Tex06]

Got the D44 and Rancho shocks already.  As soon as I get my house finished up I'll be looking for a lunchbox up front and probably the 3/2 spring kit I saw on here.  What did the clutch line do for you?

[jeepcoma]

Last bump to offer this to the club before I post on local classifides.  Come and get it!  Spring is here.

 

@Tex06 Hard to describe, but similar to how brakes feel better after swapping the rubber lines for stainless.  Pedal feel became more precise?  More consistent feedback through the travel range?  Which means shifting is much more positive and smooth (since engagement point is at same travel distance all the time).  I'm gussing the stock plastic had weakend and wasn't exactly consistently holding pressure. I perviously replaced the master cylinder too, and that was a nice fix!